Mixing chamber for air handling in an information handling system

Abstract

A mixing module may be used in a modular data center to provide cooling of air by mixing exterior environment air with warm air exhausted from information handling systems in other modules of the modular data center. The mixing module may include a mixing aisle that provides a low-impedance path for warm and cool air to mix and for a homogenous air mass for cooling IT equipment. The mixing aisle may be divided into two portions separated by dampers to allow for control over the mixing of air in the mixing aisle. The dampers in the mixing aisle, as well as dampers on an intake and exhaust from the mix module, may be controlled to obtain a desired temperature and/or humidity level.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An apparatus, comprising:
 a prefabricated infrastructure module (PIM) for mixing configured to provide air handling for an information handling system in an enclosed space, the prefabricated infrastructure module (PIM) comprising:
 an interior intake opening configured to receive warm air from a warm aisle of the enclosed space; 
 an exterior intake opening configured to receive air from an exterior environment; 
 a mixing aisle configured to receive air from the interior intake opening and from the exterior intake opening and further configured to allow mixing of air from the warm aisle and air from the exterior environment; 
 a recirculation opening coupled to the mixing aisle and configured to output mixed air from the mixing aisle for recirculation through the enclosed space to cool the information handling system; and 
 an exhaust opening coupled to the mixing aisle and configured to allow exhaust of air from the mixing aisle to the exterior environment, 
 wherein the PIM comprises multiple levels, and wherein the mixing aisle traverses substantially an entire length of the PIM multiple times while passing through the multiple levels, 
 wherein a first portion of the mixing aisle traverses substantially the entire length of the PIM at a first level of the multiple levels and a second portion of the mixing aisle traverses substantially the entire length of the PIM at a second lower level of the multiple levels, and wherein the first portion and the second portion of the mixing aisle are separated by a divider traversing at least a portion of the length of the PIM, 
 and wherein the mixing aisle is configured to channel air from the exterior intake through the first portion of the mixing aisle and the second portion of the mixing aisle, around the divider, to the recirculation opening. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the exterior intake opening comprises a single opening configured to receive air from the exterior environment when the PIM is configured for mixing and when the PIM is configured for not mixing. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the mixing aisle is divided into two portions by a set of mix dampers, wherein the mix dampers are configured to open and close to control airflow through the mixing aisle, and wherein:
 in a first mode, the set of mix dampers are at least partially open to allow the mixing of the warm air and air from the exterior environment; and 
 in a second mode, the set of mix dampers are closed to allow only air from the exterior environment to flow to the enclosed space. 
 
     
     
       4. The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the PIM further comprises a controller configured to control the set of mix dampers to switch between the first mode and the second mode. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the controller is further configured to adjust the set of mix dampers to obtain a desired temperature and humidity level within the enclosed space. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the PIM further comprises intake dampers in the exterior intake opening, wherein the intake dampers are configured to open and close to control airflow from the external environment into the mixing aisle. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the exhaust opening comprises exhaust dampers, wherein the exhaust dampers are configured to open and close to control airflow from the mixing aisle to the external environment. 
     
     
       8. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the PIM is configured to attach to a modular data center comprising a cooling module and an information technology (IT) module. 
     
     
       9. An information handling system, comprising:
 an enclosed space for information for information technology (IT) equipment, wherein the enclosed space comprises a first region of warmer air and a second region of cooler air; 
 a cooling system attached to the enclosed space; and 
 a prefabricated infrastructure module (PIM) for mixing configured to provide air handling for the enclosed space, wherein the prefabricated infrastructure module (PIM) comprises:
 an interior intake opening configured to receive the warmer air from the first region of the enclosed space; 
 an exterior intake opening configured to receive air from an exterior environment; 
 a mixing aisle configured to receive air from the interior intake opening and from the exterior intake opening and further configured to allow mixing of the warmer air and air from the exterior environment; 
 a recirculation opening coupled to the mixing aisle and to the cooling system and configured to output mixed air from the mixing aisle to the cooling system for recirculation through the enclosed space to cool the information handling system; and 
 an exhaust opening coupled to the mixing aisle and configured to allow exhaust of air from the mixing aisle to the exterior environment, 
 wherein the PIM comprises multiple levels, and wherein the mixing aisle traverses substantially an entire length of the PIM multiple times while passing through the multiple levels, 
 wherein a first portion of the mixing aisle traverses substantially the entire length of the PIM at a first level of the multiple levels and a second portion of the mixing aisle traverses substantially the entire length of the PIM at a second lower level of the multiple levels, and wherein the first portion and the second portion of the mixing aisle are separated by a divider traversing at least a portion of the length of the PIM, 
 and wherein the mixing aisle is configured to channel air from the exterior intake through the first portion of the mixing aisle and the second portion of the mixing aisle, around the divider, to the recirculation opening. 
 
 
     
     
       10. The information handling system of  claim 9 , wherein the PIM comprises a single opening configured to receive air from the exterior environment when the PIM is configured for air conditioning by mixing and when the PIM is configured for air conditioning by cooling. 
     
     
       11. The information handling system of  claim 10 , further comprising a set of mix dampers configured to divide the mixing aisle into two portions, wherein the mix dampers are configured to open and close to control airflow through the mixing aisle, and wherein:
 in a first mode, the set of mix dampers are at least partially open to allow the mixing of the warmer air and air from the exterior environment; and 
 in a second mode, the set of mix dampers are closed to allow only air from the exterior environment to flow to the cooling system. 
 
     
     
       12. The information handling system of  claim 9 , wherein the enclosed space is part of an information technology (IT) module, and wherein the PIM is configured to attach to the information technology (IT) module and a cooling module comprising the cooling system. 
     
     
       13. A method, comprising:
 receiving warm air from an enclosed space containing information technology (IT) equipment for information handling systems; 
 receiving air from an exterior environment; 
 mixing, in a mixing aisle, the warm air from the enclosed space with the air from the exterior environment; 
 recirculating the mixed air through a cooling system and into the enclosed space for cooling the information technology (IT) equipment; 
 exhausting air through an exhaust opening coupled to the mixing aisle and configured to allow exhaust of air from the mixing aisle to the exterior environment, 
 wherein the mixing aisle traverses substantially an entire length of a multi-level prefabricated infrastructure module (PIM) multiple times while passing through the multiple levels of the PIM, 
 wherein a first portion of the mixing aisle traverses substantially the entire length of the PIM at a first level of the multiple levels and a second portion of the mixing aisle traverses substantially the entire length of the PIM at a second lower level of the multiple levels, and wherein the first portion and the second portion of the mixing aisle are separated by a divider traversing at least a portion of the length of the PIM, 
 and wherein the mixing aisle is configured to channel air from the exterior environment through the first portion of the mixing aisle and the second portion of the mixing aisle, around the divider, to the enclosed space. 
 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 13 , wherein the mixed air is recirculated in a first mode, and wherein the method further comprises operating in a second mode by directly cooling air from the exterior environment without mixing. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 14 , wherein the received air from the exterior is received through a single opening whether operating in the first mode or the second mode. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 14 , further comprising operating mixing dampers to control the exit of air from the mixing aisle to be recirculated to switch between the first mode and the second mode. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 13 , further comprising operating exhaust dampers to control exhaust of warm air to control a temperature within the enclosed space. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 13 , further comprising operating intake dampers to control intake of exterior air to control a temperature within the enclosed space.